Say hey to Strong Beer Month

That’s right, the time of year that Bay Area beer beerphiles look forward to is officially here. The fourth annual Strong Beer Month is upon us.

What’s Strong Beer Month, you ask? It’s when Bay Area breweries and bars band together to offer up stocks of bold, strong brews like Beligian-style tripels, barley wines and imperial stouts, custom-made for cold, rainy February.

21st Amendment and Magnolia Pub and Brewery have brewed up five specially crafted selections each. Sample your way through all 10 of the two brewpub’s offerings, and get a very cool commemorative specialty glass (make sure to ask for a card and make sure you get it punched).

The Chronicle / Mark Costantini

The Toronado will not be this calm during the Barley Wine fest, guaranteed.

On tap at 21st Amendment:

Lower de Boom Barleywine

Double Trouble Imperial IPA

Golden Doom Belgian Tripel

Mac’s Strong Scotch Ale

Hendrik’s Espresso Imperial Stout

On tap at Magnolia:

Old Thunderpussy Barleywine

Promised Land Imperial IPA

Tweezer Tripel

Slipping Into Darkness India Brown Ale

Smokestack Lightning Imperial Stout

But that’s not all there is to Strong Beer Month. Here are more things to look out for this February:

21st Amendment will make a special appearance in Oakland’s Rockridge on Feb. 7. Barclay’s Pub on College Avenue will pour two cask versions of their strong beers, the Double Trouble Imperial IPA and Mac’s Strong Scotch Ale, and 21st Amendment’s brewmaster Sean O’Sullivan and other local brewers will be on hand to chat and answer questions.

Then there’s The Bistro in Hayward’s sixth annual Double IPA Festival on Feb. 11 from 11 am-7 pm. Twenty dollars gets you a glass and five tastings, plus there will be music and a bbq all day.

And finally, the pièce de résistance, the Toronado’s Barley Wine Festival from Feb. 18-25. The fest’s big day is the opening Saturday, and it’s the only day they’re guaranteed to have the full selection of the barley wines on tap. It’s by far the bar’s busiest day of the year, and their surliest, so pay attention to the barley wines’ numbering system and be prepared to wait — and for, knowing the Toronado, a little attitude.

Note: These are specially crafted, sophisticated brews are made for sipping and savoring, not chugging. They run over 8% abv., and they pack quite a wallop, so don’t plan on hitting all the events at once, and plan for public transport or a designated driver. For real.